This invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus having an image forming data inputting device for inputting data on image forming conditions such as light and darkness, density, color balance (tone), etc. for an output image to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine.
In a conventional image forming apparatus for recording or copying an image, an user inputs data on image forming conditions such as, light and darkness ( density ) of an image to be copied, color balance (tone) of the copied image to the image forming apparatus by manually operating a panel unit provided at the front portion of the apparatus. Such a panel unit is provided with various switches for inputting the data and display units for displaying the input data. In order to accurately input the image forming data to the apparatus, another (auxiliary) panel unit having thereon various finely-adjustable switches and display units for inputting a minute image forming data is further provided in the apparatus. That is, the conventional image forming apparatus is separately provided with two types of panel units for accurately inputting the image forming data ( a main panel display for inputting a rough image forming data and an auxiliary panel display for inputting the minute image forming data). This separate arrangement of the panel units in the conventional image forming apparatus has caused an increase of cost and has hindered the apparatus from being miniaturized. Further, since the two types of panel units (the main and auxiliary panel units) are different in an operation manner, two kinds of methods for operating the main and auxiliary panel units, respectively, must be understood by the user and therefore an erroneous operation by the user is liable to occur.
Moreover, in a case of inputting data on color balance, that is, adjusting the color balance to make a color tone of a copied image coincident with that of an original image, the insertion amount of each color filter of the filter unit to a light path is automatically adjusted on the basis of the color balance (tone) data which is indicated by the user. That is, in the conventional device for inputting the color balance data to the image forming apparatus, reproduction of color is performed on the basis of a color principle in which the reproduction of the color is performed by changing a mixing ratio of three primary colors (Yellow, Magenta and Cyan) for color materials, and therefore the conventional image forming apparatus is so designed that an adjustment between the three primary colors (Yellow, Magenta and Cyan) for the color materials and the complementary colors thereof is performed on the basis of the color principle. In more detail, the conventional image forming apparatus is provided with three adjustment units, a first adjustment unit for adjusting the degree of color change between Cyan and the complementary color thereof (Red), a second adjustment unit for adjusting the degree of color change between Magenta and the complementary color thereof (Green) and a third adjustment unit for adjusting the degree of color change between Yellow and the complementary color thereof (Blue), and the user operates these adjustment units to perform the adjustment of the color balance. As described above, the adjustment operation of the user is carried out on the basis of the color principle, but not on the basis of the sensory perception of the user to color, so that it is difficult for an user having no or a little knowledge or experience on color to input the color balance data to the image forming apparatus.